Consequences
by Viceroy Elf
Summary: It's happened before, and every time, she's shrugged it off. But it's come to a head, and a decision has to be made.


**Here's something a little different**

Consequences

The forests of Gravity Falls were as thick and mysterious as they'd been years ago on their first visit. It seemed every year there was some new creature or odd happenstance to investigate, and this year was no different, as the famed 'mystery twins' trekked through the thick brush.

"Mabel wait."

The younger pines held an arm out, and he and his sister halted in place. "Did you hear something?"

It was silent in the wood, save for the sound of leaves brushing the ground in the breeze.

"It sounds like…" Mabel pines took a few whisper quiet steps up to her brother.

"IRRATIONAL PARANOIAAAAAAAAA!" She shouted, shaking the shoulders of a very shocked Dipper who, in his stupor, stumbled over his feet and fell square on his rump.

"Mabel!" Dipper pines glared at his sister, but she was miles away in a fit of cackles. "This is serious! There could be anything out here." He cried, but couldn't help but smile just a little. No one's laughter was more infectious than Mabel Pines'.

"C'mon, bro. We've been through these woods like a gazillion times." She said, hoisting her brother back on his feet.

Dipper wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders. "Mabel, this forest is a bounty of supernatural and paranormal happenings that changes with every day. There's something to be discovered with every visit, and it's up to me to understand it." Dipper dramatically pulled a small book from his jacket.

The book was blue with a gold trim. It had a gold medal on the cover, with a certain constellation carved on it, and the Roman numeral II beneath it.

"Besides, I didn't put anything about Gravity Falls in the first journal. This is like getting back to our roots."

"You know, you'd have more room in your first journal if you didn't keep using pages to draw pictures of you and Pacifica together."

Dipper's confidence fell and his face went red. "That was a very stressful time of my life, Mabel."

Mabel wrapped Dipper in an enthusiastic hug. "Awww, my little bro's all grown up."

Dipper, though embarrassed, smiled warmly. "Never change, Mabel."

"Not on your life, Dipdop."

The two continued through passed trees, going deeper into the forest.

A magical looking flower caught Dipper's eye eventually, and he stopped to study it, leaving Mabel to her own devices.

And that's when something small, and fuzzy slipped into her peripheral vision. It was just in the distance, obscured in the shade of the trees, but Mabel could make out big, adorable eyes.

Mostly because they were glowing.

 _This could be something incredibly dangerous._ She thought. She wasn't sure if that was a discouraging or encouraging fact.

Carefully, she approached the creature, which backed away ever so slowly. "Hey lil' guy. I'm not gonna hurt you."

The creature stopped. Mabel smiled, and turned to call her brother. "Hey Dip-" When she turned, she found herself in an unfamiliar part of the forest. "Aww nuts." She said. Turning around, the creature started to convulse, and within a few moments, it had become considerably less small and cute. It stretch to grow and tower over Mabel, the fur that once covered it now barely enough to conceal the blueish green flesh of the creature. It bared large fangs, and worst of all, large, jagged quills sprouted from its arms and back.

Mabel knew she should run. Run fast. But her legs stood stiff. All she could do was stare oblivion in the face, as the creature reared back its right claw.

"MABEL!"

She blinked and when she opened her eyes, the creature was away from her, and dipper was lying next to a tree. He'd pushed her out of the way, probably saving her life in the process.

The creature's attention was on him now. It was rearing back to pounce, but Dipper showed no hesitance. He pulled something out from his jacket. A bottle. He held it in front of the creature, and it relaxed, mesmerized by the vials contents, some sort of plant matter.

Dipper poured the dry matter into his hand, and blew it toward the best. Mesmerized by the petals as they swarmed around its head, changing colors.

He relaxed as the beast wandered off, far too distracted to be a threat to them anymore.

"Dipper." She rushed over to her brother, who was still leaning against the tree. She wrapped her arms around his head, tears in her eyes. "Dipper! I- I'm so sorry! It just looked cute and I didn't…"

Mabel's rambling were slowly obscured by cries of relief for her and her brother's safety.

"Mabel, it's alright. Everything's gonna be fine." He said, putting an arm around his sister. Standing up, he winced, a sharp pain in his gut.

"Actually, I think there's…" he looked down, and his eyes went wide in shock. "That wasn't there before."

Every creature in the forest could have heard Mabel's shriek.

0000

"Well, thankfully you didn't run into the venomous variant. Still, I didn't think quillboars could change size. Truly fascinating stuff."

Mabel rushed Dipper back to the Shack as fast as her legs could carry her. Grunkle Ford was home, thankfully, and new just what to do. Mabel was amazed. They both remained so calm and orderly as Ford treated Dipper's wound.

This was there world, and as Mabel pulled her knees close to her, she once again questioned whether she had a place in it. Ford put a comforting arm around Mabel's shoulder, noticing his great niece's distress. "He'll be fine Mabel. He'll even get a cool scar out of it. That said, we should probably keep this a secret from that girlfriend of his. She seems the sort to get 'mad screamy'" he remarks to Mabel's amusement. Though the two had a rocky relationship in the past, the two had helped each other discover things about themselves.

"Something's bothering you. Something bigger than Dipper's injury." He says, and she retreats further behind her knees.

"I'm always messing things up for Dipper. He doesn't say anything, but every time something goes wrong it's because I made a stupid mistake, and he takes the punishment. Even now, he almost died, Grunkle Ford."

"Well, that's not very fair to yourself, Mabel. Quillboars and many other creatures have been known to use hypnotism to lure people into traps all the time. Happened to me all the time before I glazed my eyes in gargoyle drool."

Ignoring the newest-but-surely-not-the-last revelation about Ford's body parts, Mabel continued in a morose tone. "I would have followed it even if it didn't have weirdo hypno eyes, I just know it."

"And you think your brother wouldn't? If there's one thing I know about that boy, he'll follow a mystery to the end of its days."

Mabel smiled, but Ford could tell the conflict within her remained.

"Mabel, you don't really think Dipper doesn't want you out with him, do you?"

She shrugged.

For sighed. "Mabel, neither you nor Dipper know how much the two of you need each other."

"What do you mean?"

Ford leaned forward with his head down. "When I was beginning my research of the paranormal, I'd been without Stan for many years. I acted with reckless abandon, unaware of what my actions lead to. There was no one to tell me when I went too far. It was like I was missing a part of me that I wasn't aware I had. I forgot that people were people, everything became numbers and words. I had nothing to lose in this world, and it almost cost me my life dozens of times."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Looking back I can only see how much of a fool I was."

"Where're you going with this, Grunkle Ford?"

"Mabel, Dipper needs you to remind him what the true magic of the world is, and why he does what he does. You remind him that there are good people in the world worth protecting and teaching. And you let him know that no amount of ancient, forbidden knowledge will ever outweigh the thought that you are safe and happy. Most importantly, you need to let each other know when the other is in over there head. Stan and I weren't there for each other, and it cost both of us years of our lives. Be there for your brother. If he ever tells you he doesn't need you, that's absolutely when he needs you most."

Ford finished his speech by wiping away a tear off Mabel's cheek. She laughed. "You've got hands like sand paper old man." She said. "I'll have to teach you about moisturizer."

Grunkle Ford let the remark about his hands slide, not wanting to jeopardize Mabel's smile.

"Let's go check on Dipper. I'm sure he'll be waking up soon."

The two went retreated to part of the basement they'd used as an 'operating room'. Dipper was indeed awake, though drowsy. When Mabel entered the room, Dipper's face lit up.

"Go talk to him. I'll be taking a look at the quill."

Mabel dragged a seat over by Dipper's couch and sat down.

"Hey bro bro. How ya feeling?"

"Better now." Came a raspy reply from Dipper. "You okay?"

Mabel nodded. "I'm sorry Dipper. For this, and every other time I've messed up and gotten you hurt."

Dipper frowned. "Mabel, that's not-"

"You almost died this time Dipper. I don't want you to keep making excuses for me. I'm not a little girl anymore, and I know what the consequences of my actions are."

She placed on her brother's shoulder. "I don't think I'm much help on mystery hunts anyway."

Dipper knew what she was saying, and before he could object, she was already leaving.

Dipper would be lying if he said he hadn't thought this day might come. The two were drifting into their own worlds. It wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't such a good thing either. He supposes he didn't realize how much he and Mabel have changed.

Still, this is a pretty sour end to the 'Mystery Twins'. There had to be something he could do.

0000

She sat in the kitchen, with a glass of Mabel Juice 2.0 to perk herself up. She'd have to find some way to keep herself busy when Dipper was away.

A loud thump shocked her out of her state of thought. On the table sat a familiar blue book, this one with the Roman numeral I on it. Dipper took a seat across from her.

"Read up."

"Dipper! You shouldn't be up walking you just had surgery!"

"Stitches are holding. Now, back to what I was saying, read up." Dipper pushed the book closer to Mabel.

Her brows furrowed. "Dipper, I told you-"

"I know what you told me, but hear me out."

Mabel crossed her arms and looked at her brother.

"We're growing up, Mabel. You've got your things going on, I've got mine. But, just because we're growing up, doesn't mean we have to grow apart. I won't drag you out every time I find something to investigate anymore. But it's a crazy world out there. But, if I'm in over my head and need help, or if you find yourself in danger, I want you to know what you're up against."

Dipper held out his hand. "It's a crazy world. And I want you in it."

Mabel smiled. She put her hand in Dipper's. "Mystery twins?"

Dipper smiled. "Mystery Twins."


End file.
